Episode

Voice-over introduction

Leonardo: "You know, if there's one thing I've learned being a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, is to always expect the unexpected. But with all of our training, and all of our hard work, I'd like to think that we're ready for anything. But sometimes, the unexpected is just a little too... unexpected."

Plot synopsis

The episode opens as Leonardo and Raphael move furniture around the lair, while Michelangelo goofs off, and Donatello is confined to a couch (due to his his brothers' orders and much to his own resentment). Donnie is feeling much better, but he makes it clear that he can’t remember anything that happened during his mutation (when Mikey tells Donnie that the latter had tried to bite his foot off, while he was mutated). When Donnie objects to resting and insists that he's feeling fine, he also insists that they should all leave the lair for a little while. Sure enough, the guys are soon on the city rooftops having some fun, but they don’t realize that they are being watched by four wooden warriors (Mokusai-no-Bushi).

The Mokusai during their first appearance.

Meanwhile, Splinter is seen back in the lair meditating. Suddenly, a concerned Ancient One enters and becomes frantic when he learns that the turtles are gone.

Meanwhile, the turtles are startled by movements in the shadows. As the teens look around, the four Mokusai-no-Bushi appear, wielding double tonfa and looking ready to fight...

The second male and third member of the humans team Tora

The only female human Joi

One of the male humans Adam

The third and final male and the last member of the humans team Faraji

As the the turtles' opponents bow, the turtles decide to bow back, only for a fight to ensue. As the turtles battle, Leonardo discovers that their foes are made of hard wood when one of his katana attacks lands squarely in a Mokusai-no-Bushi's head. Despite receiving what would have been a killing blow to most opponents, the wooden warrior casually removes the katana from his wooden head, and it's wound instantly heals. The bizzare warrior bows and offers to give the katana back to Leo. Leonardo grabs the katana and resumes fighting, but the turtles soon realize that they have little chance in defeating their seemingly indomitable foes. One by one, each turtle is defeated and knocked unconscious. The Mokusai-no-Bushi pick up all of the turtles (along with their weapons) and carry them off...

The turtles wake up, only to find themselves locked up within what seems to be a prison cell. The turtles exit the surprisingly unlocked prison cell door, and find their weapons floating in a magical aura in the hallway outside. The turtles grab their weapons, before noticing four other floating weapons nearby. Four humans then emerge out of four nearby cells, groggy and confused, much like the turtles. The humans also grab their weapons. After briefly mistrusting one another, the groups introduce themselves - the human team introduces themselves as Adam McKay, Joi Reynard, Tora Yoshida, and Faraji Ngala. The turtles then decide to look around and explore, asking if the humans wish to accompany them. The eight enter another chamber and realize that the door they just came in through has disappeared. Mikey then wishes for a door, and strangely, a gigantic one appears right in front of them. As the group walks through the door, they find themselves in a sanctuary, with many Mokusai-no-Bushi lined up along the walls. In front of them, they realize, are five thrones, four of which are filled with beings wearing armor similar to The Utrom Shredder's. The four beings then tell them that they are called the Ninja Tribunal, and they then tell the eight that a great evil is coming, and that they must be judged to determine if they are worthy to defend the Earth against the oncoming darkness. They then force the two groups to face eachother in combat, as their first test.
The so called Ninja Tribunal commands the two groups to fight eachother, but the turtles and humans decide that they would rather fight the Tribunal. However, when the eight begin to approach the thrones, the Mokusai-no-Bushi leap down from the sidelines and intervene. The eight captives desperately battle the wooden ninjas, but it doesn't take long for them to realize that there is no way to beat them.

The scene then cuts to the New York City city rooftops, where Splinter and the Ancient One are searching for clues that the turtles are missing. They quickly realize that the turtles have indeed been taken by the Mokusai-no-Bushi to the Ninja Tribunal. Splinter demands that the Ancient One take him to the Tribunal, which the Ancient One says is simply not permitted. However, Splinter counters by saying that he will protect his sons no matter what.

Back in the Tribunal's sanctuary, all eight warriors are utterly defeated by the Mokusai-no-Bushi. The Tribunal proclaims that they have all passed their first test by choosing to battle their indomitable foes, rather than choosing to fight one another. The group have become acolytes of the Ninja Tribunal.

The turtles and humans are now free to contemplate their endeavor, as a magical stairway leads them up to a hatch that leads outside. The eight emerge on the deck of a dragon ship, far out at sea. They soon discover that their journey has taken them to Japan, which is clearly visible in the distance...

Quotes

Raphael: Yeah, no offense Donnie, but you weren't too much fun when you were... sick.
Mikey: Fun?! He was a monster. An absolutely, horrible, drooling big nasty-fanged monster! You tried to eat my leg!

Mikey: Are we sure that Donnie's all better? See the full moon, Donnie? Do you feel the monster inside? The monster taking control?! 'MWAHAHAHA!!!!

:[After the enemy ninjas demonstrated their weapon sticks to the Turtles.]

Raphael: Now maybe it's just me, but I think these guys plan to stick it to us.

Juto-Shisho: Bow when you enter this sanctuary.

Chikara-Shisho: We require warriors to combatant, and as pathetic as you are, you eight are our best hope.

Leo: You expect us to fight each other?
Raphael: Forget it, bucketheads.:Kon-Shisho: You WILL fight, or you will be destroyed.

Trivia

Shortly after production ended on this episode, it was announced by 4Kids that the franchise would be heading in a new direction, placing the Turtles into the distant future in a series of "light hearted standalone episodes", this unfortunately indicated the events of this episode would not be elaborated upon in the following season. TMNT Writer and artist Dan Berger would eventually reveal to dismayed fans that Peter Laird was working hard on financing and distributing a full length season on DVD to wrap up the events of this episode.

Mikey's dueling nunchucks was a reference to the first movie, only with Mikey getting outshined this time.